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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Three nights a week devoted to sports sounds really over the top to me. One night is plenty.[/quote]

I'm curious- how old are your kids?  By middle school, most school-sponsored sports have daily practice with 2-3 games per week.  If you go the club route its not uncommon to have 3-4 nights per week.  My kids are a freshman and junior, both are good (not great) at sports and aren't anywhere near a highly competitive level.  Daughter has gymnastics 4 nights per week plus weekend competitions, son has basketball every week night, either practice or a game.  Plus he works every other weekend at a grocery store.  Its hectic at times but both have learned to manage their time very well and get most homework done in study hall or weekends.  There are some late nights but its a trade off.

One night of sports per week is [u]not common [/u]with older kids.

So with everything they do, if their homework is done I don't care how much screen time they have.  Both have GPAs over 3.8 so if my son wants to play Destiny for hours on a night off, I gladly let him.  [/quote]

They don't go to school yet and my partner and I are going to homeschool. We are both on the same page on the fact that we won't let sports become a major deal in our family.[/quote]

Thanks- that puts your opinion in perspective for me.  In the next 6-10 years, your opinion may change significantly after you've BTDT.  Extra-curricular activities don't necessarily need to be sports, it could be dance, ballet, an instrument, etc.  If/when your child starts activities outside the home, it will probably be one day per week.  But as they develop a passion for something, one day can turn into two, then three, and then four.  For example, kids in the HS band play at home basketball games- typically 2-3 times per week.  Its not sports that becomes a "major deal"- its life.

For example, here is my son's experience with basketball.  K-3rd grade it was Saturday mornings for an hour, local rec group.  4th grade was a local rec league, one or two practices per week and games on Saturdays.  That continued thru 6th grade.  7th and 8th grade was thru the school, practices were (on average) 3 days per week with 1 or 2 games per week, no weekends.  Pretty much the same for freshman/JV ball.  Now he's a junior, plays varsity, and has practice 3-4 times per week for a couple hours each, 2-3 games per week.  He's not particularly good at it- he's a 6 foot hustle/energy guy with no aspiration to play beyond high school.  But he loves the game and he's in great physical shape.  Several of his best friends are active in the same sports or come to the games and cheer on the team.  Its stereotypical HS kind of stuff and while sports isn't "a major deal" it is a time commitment.

Not every kid plays sports, nor should they necessarily do so.  But IMO, extra curricular activities are important to a child's emotional and social development.  The older they get, the greater the time commitment.

But I find it a little presumptuous to offer your opinion on Older Kids and Teenagers when yours are pre-K.  Just my two cents.  [/quote]

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